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Yankiel Rivera vs Angelino Cordova Keys to Victory: The tactics to bring WBA flyweight success
Yankiel Rivera faces his biggest step up in competition Saturday night when he headlines Most Valuable Promotions’ Fight Night at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida, and live on DAZN, against another undefeated fighter in Angelino Cordova.
If Rivera (7-0, 3 KOs) can get past the Venezuelan Cordova (19-0-1, 12 KOs) he will capture the WBA flyweight interim world title in just his eighth professional fight.
After a rich amateur pedigree which had him claiming a handful of National Championships and lone representation for Puerto Rico in the 2020 Olympics, Rivera could launch himself in position to challenge flyweight WBA/WBC world champ Ricardo Sandoval with a stirring win this weekend.
The Puerto Rican fighter had three victories in 2024 including a fourth-round TKO of Angel Gonzalez Jr. in December. Cordova outpointed Josue Jesus Morales via unanimous decision in the same month.
Will Rivera snatch the WBA flyweight interim world title with a statement win over Cordova? Or will the Venezuelan fighter prove to be too gritty for Rivera to overcome?
With the stakes reaching a fever pitch, DAZN News's Mark Lelinwalla analyzes the Keys to Victory for both Rivera and Cordova.
Yankiel Rivera’s Keys to Victory
Generate pressure with movement behind the jab
Whether it is changing levels, utilizing feints or disguising punches, Yankiel Rivera is efficient generating pressure with movement behind the jab.
Once his jab touches his opponents, the Puerto Rican star is able to double and even triple up on it as a method to further close the distance.
Creating this kind of pressure against a scrappy Angelino Cordova is a major key.
Unload shots to the body
For a fighter who stands a rather miniscule 5-foot-3, Rivera ravages the body.
This was on display in his last win over Angel Gonzalez in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he not only made crunching deposits to the midsection within the flow of his offense but also in the clinch.
Ultimately a punishing and perfectly placed left hook to the liver forced Gonzalez to take a knee, before Rivera closed out the show seconds later.
Wrap the hook around Cordova’s guard
This can come off the jab as a combination or specifically as a counter, but Rivera’s left and right hooks around Cordova’s guard should do damage.
If the Venezuelan opens up on offense and gets a bit too loose, a well-timed hook around the guard and in traffic could even be Rivera’s most potent weapon of the night.
Angelino Cordova
Make an early stand, push Rivera back
For his size, Yankiel Rivera creates undeniable pressure in cutting the ring in half and then slicing that real estate again in forcing phone booth action.
Angelino Cordova would do himself a great service by showing early resistance to Rivera’s forward fighting.
This could come as a pull counter, fire fighting in the pocket or simply resorting to the clinch and pushing Jake Paul's MVP signee back.
Whatever the case, Cordova must make an early stand.
Load up on the right hand
Cordova moves laterally around the ring smoothly but is capable of generating pressure in spots, too. Doing so against Rivera could give him the open lane to load up on the right hand.
And the Venezuelan sits on the right hand extremely well, unleashing it with thudding impact — something that former champion Julio Cesar Martinez experienced and Rivera will have to account for as well.
Do not get too erratic
Cordova will stand in the pocket and exchange fire. But as much as it is a strength, it can be a vulnerability if Rivera picks his moments shrewdly with counterpunches.
Therefore, it is imperative that Cordova takes his chances and throws his flurries of punches without getting too erratic.
The latter happens and Rivera’s sweet science skills could very well build a wide lead with banked rounds or end the bout inside the distance.
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